Tag Archive for San Jose

Thieves plunder Scottish Paralympic team, drivers slam San Jose diners, and Pasadena’s first 2-way protected bikeway

October 13, 2020 / / Comments Off on Thieves plunder Scottish Paralympic team, drivers slam San Jose diners, and Pasadena’s first 2-way protected bikeway

Sadly, yesterday’s lead item has been confirmed, as a woman was killed riding her bike, and her partner injured, in a Valley Glen crash Sunday night. 

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels.

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Seriously, how low can they go?

Scottish bike thieves plundered the country’s Paralympic team, making off with 20 high-tech handcycles and bicycles worth over $26,000 — many of which the victims had purchased themselves.

The bikes aren’t likely to turn up on this side of the Atlantic, but still.

The team deserves to get their bikes back. And the scumbags thieves deserve to go away for a long damn time.

Thanks to Carly Silver for the heads-up.

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This is who we share the outdoor restaurants with.

Apparently, it doesn’t pay to dine out in San Jose, where drivers slammed into outdoor diners twice in a single day.

Thanks to Austin Brown for the link.

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Pasadena invites you to learn more and offer your comments about the city’s first two-way protected bike lane.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

No bias here. A London tabloid breathlessly reports that nearly two-thirds of bike riders were unaware of some traffic laws, while downplaying the fact that 41% of older drivers had the same problem, seemingly unaware of which group posed the most risk to others.

Once again, a British bike rider has been pushed off his bike by someone in a passing car, this time a man in his 70s. Seriously, there’s not a pit in hell deep enough.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A San Diego rabbi says he was attacked by a bike-riding teenager who hit him over the head with a closed fist while yelling a racial slur, part of a group of teens who have allegedly been harassing the temple. There is simply no excuse, ever. Period. 

There isn’t a pit deep enough for the man who ran up from behind a woman on an Illinois bike path and pulled down her pants and underwear, before riding off on a bicycle.

Police in New York are looking for a bike-riding thief snatching iPhones from people’s hands.

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Local

LA Magazine looks at the race between attorney Grace Yoo and Current L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to replace termed out Herb Wesson in LA’s 10th Council District, who they note will determine what housing projects get built and who gets bike lanes in the district.

 

State

She gets it. A La Jolla resident calls on the town to redesign its streets to curb speeding drivers.

Bay Area bike riders will have limited access to the Bay Bridge during a roadway realignment project.

Sad news from NorCal, where a bike rider was killed in a crash with an Anderson cop while allegedly riding his bike in the fast lane of a local highway; needless to say, police were quick to absolve the officer of any blame.

 

National

Wired says the US needs to adopt the industrial policies of the Asian countries we rely on for bicycles to overcome our own bike shortage.

Bicycling gives you an eight-point pre-ride checklist to help you get back home from your next ride. And yes, you can read it on Yahoo if you’ve fallen prey to the magazine’s draconian paywall.

A 70-year old Oregon bike rider was killed by a 93-year old driver who just kept going after the fatal crash. Yet another tragic reminder that driving shouldn’t be a lifelong privilege, and there comes a time when we all need to give up the keys for the sake of others around them.

Good kid. An eleven-year old Texas boy rode his bike 18 miles to raise awareness for pregnancy and infant loss in memory of a stillborn baby.

Chicago Streetsblog says the city should use the new San Jose bike plan as a model to reboot bicycling in the Windy City. Then again, it wasn’t too long ago that LA’s bike plan was hailed as a model for other cities, and you know how that turned out.

Police in Illinois are looking for a hit-and-run semi driver who kept going after injuring a pair of bicyclists, one critically.

It takes a special kind of jerk to steal the recumbent bike a Michigan man built to ride across the US after recovering from a heart attack.

A crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly $2,400 in a single day to help a popular Ohio handyman replace his bike after he was struck by a driver.

A pair of teenaged Virginia drivers face up to 20 years behind bars for killing a 59-year old bike rider while allegedly street racing.

 

International

Fast Company says sleek e-cargo bikes represent the future of delivery.

It takes a major schmuck to steal the flowers from a roadside shrine to a young English woman killed in a collision while riding her bike.

A British man overcame physical and mental obstacles to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, just over a year after he was nearly killed when a driver slammed into his bike. Then again, he could have just ridden his bicycle up the mountain.

Heart-stopping video of London boy riding his bike out from behind a large truck, only to get hit by a van coming from the opposite direction — then he just picks his bike up and walks away.

A Scottish man dusts off his old bike, and learns to overcome his fears and love bicycling again.

Bicycling looks at Afghan women defying the country’s embedded patriarchy by taking to their bicycles. As usual, you can read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you out.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cycling Tips goes deep into how on Jon Ornée set a new record for the fastest century, set while drafting a minivan on a NASCAR track at an average speed of 42.6 mph, just one year after he was struck by a driver.

American cyclist Chloe Dygert tells her local paper she has no regrets about her horrific crash while defending her world time trial championship, and remains focused on recovering in time for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Sky Sports considers the unfulfilled career of Britain’s first Black cycling champ, who never made the country’s Olympics team despite winning three national titles, for reasons they suggest should be obvious.

 

Finally…

Yes, he may be a bike thief, but at least he’s wearing a mask. Is there anything cargo bikes can’t carry?

And now you, too, can have your very own replica of this year’s Tour de France winning bike for the low, low price of thirty grand.

For that price, I want the real thing. And the yellow jersey that comes with it.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask, already. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Bike rider busted in anti-BLM assault, killer hit-and-run bike rider busted in San Jose, and bike ride for justice in Leimert Park

June 8, 2020 / / One comment

They got him.

Police arrested the spandex-clad bike rider who assaulted a group of teens on a Maryland bike path.

The victims were putting up posters calling for the prosecution of killer cops when the man ripped them out of their hands, then rammed his bike into the young man filming it.

Anthony Brennan III faces three counts of second-degree assault after police searched his home and found what appeared to be the clothes he was allegedly wearing during the attack.

https://twitter.com/VicStoddard/status/1268620623489560576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1268620623489560576&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbikinginla.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D41835%26action%3Dedit

He was turned in by people in his own neighborhood, despite hiding his helmet under his porch and stashing his bike several blocks away in an attempt to hide his involvement.

Needless to say, he apologized profusely for his “abhorrent” behavior, saying he was “sick with remorse for the pain and fear” he caused.

But only after he was caught, of course.

And to top off his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, Brennan was fired from his job with a Pleasanton CA creative marketing job following his arrest.

Unfortunately, however, online efforts to identify the suspect led to at least three people being falsely accused, with threats against people who had nothing to do with the incident.

Something we saw here following the infamous Mandeville Canyon brake check, when online sleuths quickly posted the home address and phone number for Dr. Christopher Thompson, who was ultimately convicted for the assault.

Except it was the wrong Dr. Christopher Thompson, leading to threats against an innocent man.

Which should be a reminder to all of us to avoid pointing the finger without proof. And without being absolutely certain it’s the right person.

And don’t threaten anyone, even if you have the right person.

Just don’t.

Today’s photo from comes from David Drexler, who says that’s what the upscale Rapha bike store looks like following last week’s looting, noting the restaurant next door was firebombed.

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Police have arrested a hit-and-run bike rider who fled the scene after a head-on collision with two other riders on a San Jose bike path, which killed one of the two victims.

It’s the second fatal crash San Jose bike path crash in as many weeks.

It’s also yet another reminder that people on bicycles have the same obligation to stop after a crash as someone in a car.

And just like with a driver, what might not have been a crime becomes one the moment you leave without exchanging information.

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The fight for racial justice took to two wheels on Sunday, as hundreds of people turned out on bicycles for a ride through Leimert Park.

https://twitter.com/bRuc14/status/1269457396344033291

The LA Times offers a video report from the scene.

Then again, that wasn’t the only ride calling for justice in South LA on Sunday, with the Compton Cowboys taking their steeds to the streets.

And no, that’s not a bike club. Or a metaphor.

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The good news, there are no cars parked in this DTLA protected bike lane.

The bad news…

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This is who we share the roads with, protest edition.

A Seattle mother was shocked to be arrested for driving off after just “tapping” a group of bike cops with her car at a protest, injuring one officer; it probably didn’t help that she posted video of herself screaming “fuck the police” before the incident.

Then there’s the guy who smashed into a barricade on a Seattle street, and came out of his car swinging a gun around. Update: He did more than brandish his gun; he apparently shot a 27-year old man.

https://twitter.com/chaseburnsy/status/1269833325440462848

https://twitter.com/lindseywasson/status/1269843291018690561

A New York driver forced his way through a group of bike-riding pedestrians, injuring one person.

https://twitter.com/msrbklyn/status/1269457955897913344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1269457955897913344&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nydailynews.com%2Fnew-york%2Fnyc-crime%2Fny-driver-suv-blm-protesters-arrest-20200607-s75ufvvhgvbtpd5r3oszqvewmu-story.html

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New York police arrested a criminal intent on committing mayhem at a Bronx protest.

Or maybe just a bike mechanic.

https://twitter.com/ShaneDPhillips/status/1269078212249653248

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Learn how to elevate black voices this Wednesday.

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The war on cars is a myth, but the war on bikes goes on.

A Florida man faces charges for hurling racial slurs at a black bike rider, then threatening him with a socket wrench and a hockey stick.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

An Eastvale bike rider faces an attempted murder charge after pulling out a gun out of a purse and shooting at a fleeing motorist, following an argument between them; no explanation of why he was riding with a purse.

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Local

Crosstown takes a look at the dramatic drop in LA traffic that made our streets a veritable paradise for bike riders and pedestrians, and the gradual uptick that’s making our streets more dangerous. You’ll also find your humble host quoted there, but you’ll have to read it to see what I said.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is sort of one of us, buying a Peloton to learn how to ride a bike without fear of falling off after a bad experience as a kid; she also has an adult tricycle, or maybe a bicycle with training wheels. Or both.

 

State

Roughly 1,000 people turned out for San Francisco’s Critical Mass ride Friday evening to honor George Floyd and call for police reform.

Sad news from Stockton, where a 54-year old bike riders was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

The news was just as bad from Sonoma, as a man was killed when his racing bike was knocked off the road by a hit-and-run driver.

 

National

Fuji Bicycles has responded to the protests by suspending sales of police bikes in the US, after police brandished bicycles as shields, weapons and crowd control devices. Meanwhile, Trek is taking heat for failing to take similar action.

Gear Patrol offers tips on how to buy a used bicycle online.

Maybe you should cut back on the long-distance riding if you’re trying to get pregnant; a new study shows high levels of exercise can result in miscarriages in early pregnancy.

A new study shows aerobic exercise — like bicycling — is your best bet for avoiding dementia.

Bike shops have had to adapt on the fly to a new way of doing business during the pandemic, even as demand for bikes has gone through the roof.

Kindhearted police and firefighters in Kansas City, Kansas surprised a nine-year old boy with a new bicycle after his was destroyed when an out of control driver plowed into his bedroom. Probably didn’t do his bedroom much good, either.

Over 700 Michigan bike riders turned out to support victims of police brutality.

A Massachusetts website recommends bikes and accessories for all kinds of riders. But hardly the “best,” despite the headline.

A Niagara Falls man lost his bike when he tried to stop a man from pissing on the sidewalk, and the other man pulled a knife on him and stole his bicycle.

The NYPD has been even more out of control than usual this past week, including arresting a bicycle delivery rider for violating the city’s curfew, even though delivery riders are considered essential workers and he was making deliveries at the time.

Yes, Spike Lee really is one of us, joining in on an NYC protest on his bike.

A New Jersey letter writer say put your damn mask on, already.

A bike rider was killed in Pennsylvania when a speeding, unlicensed driver blew through two stop signs and slammed into him.

A Charleston SC bike shop owner struggled to save a stash of vintage 1970s bicycles from looters and arson, even as they emptied out his retail storefront.

 

International

Former UFC fighter Wanderlei Silva is one of us, crediting his bike helmet with saving his life when he was hit by a driver while riding his bike; it was his second serious bike crash in four years.

No bias here. A Toronto car columnist says leaders should stop paying attention to what he alleges is the small bike lobby, and pay more attention to the “huge” car crowd. Which is the best way to ensure that traffic congestion, smog and climate change will keep getting worse.

Our neighbors to the north get it. Canada is installing bike lanes across the country on an urgent basis to accommodate commuters afraid to take public transit during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A British fashion site recommends the best bikes, whether you’re commuting, running errands or exercising. And want to look good doing it.

Tragic news from the UK, where two men are likely to face a murder charge for beating another man to death on a public street, after an argument over a bicycle.

Bikes are really booming in Great Britain, where bicycle use shot up 300% during the coronavirus lockdown. Which may be why most Londoners support making the city’s temporary bike lanes permanent.

Lisbon, Portugal has unveiled a three million euro plan — the equivalent of $3.39 million — to increase bicycling, including nearly doubling the amount of bike paths over the next year, and offering incentives up to $564 to buy a bicycle.

Bicyclists are heroes in Kyrgyzstan, delivering desperately needed insulin to to diabetic patients in the country’s capital.

They get it. A New Delhi TV station says getting more people on bicycles can prevent a post-coronavirus lockdown traffic congestion crisis.

A single bicycle has helped four generations of a single Indian family get around for the past 70 years.

A Philippine city will now require bikes to be registered before they can be ridden, and will strongly recommend liability insurance.

Avanti has recalled their Corso and Giro models in Australia due to defective seat clamp bolts; no word on whether that recall extends to models sold in the US.

 

Competitive Cycling

If all those protests have inspired you to support greater diversity in cycling, you can start with a fundraiser for LA’s elite Legion of Los Angeles cycling team, which was founded by US track, road and crit champ Justin Williams to bring more people of color into the sport; the crowdfunding campaign has already topped the $50,000 goal, raising more than $52,000 in just two days.

Speaking of Williams, he has some suggestions on how to rethink cycling kits to make it easier for fans to follow their favorite teams and riders.

 

Finally…

Don’t throw your bike at horses, police or otherwise. Then again, don’t throw your bike, period.

And here’s your chance to own Peter Sagan’s papal bike.

Or better yet, just buy it for me.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask, already. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: San Jose driver slams two bike riders, former musher’s epic bike journey, and new human bike record

July 16, 2019 / / 5 comments

Let’s start with this understated quote from a San Jose cop.

“Well, you can imagine, she hit two bicyclists. She’s obviously very shaken up and distraught,” said Tepoorten.

As well she should be.

Considering the woman killed one bike rider and left the other critically injured and clinging to life.

Although something tells me the families and loved ones of the victims are pretty damn distraught, too.

The victims were riding in a marked bike lane when the driver pulled out of a San Jose strip mall parking lot and slammed into them yesterday morning; somehow going fast enough to cause life-threatening injuries to two people, despite just leaving the lot.

“Any time you’re exiting a parking lot, you have yield to pedestrian, vehicle traffic, as well as bicycles. So, the bicyclists would have the right of way because they were already in the roadway traveling southbound on Vistapark,” said Gena Tepoorten of the San Jose Police Department. “She was exiting a parking lot, we know, when this happened.”

Particularly since parking lots are usually controlled with either a stop sign or stop light, suggesting she had to speed through one or the other to cause that much harm.

Thanks to John McBrearty for the heads-up.

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Earlier this year, my former Iditrod sled dog-mushing brother Eric — former musher and particle physicist, that is, not former brother — wrote a guest post on here describing last year’s epic bike ride from the Pacific Northwest back to his home in western Colorado.

Now he’s off on his latest adventure, a three and a half month bikepacking journey that will take him up to Seattle, down the left coast to Tijuana, and back up to Colorado, hitting a number of national and state parks along the way.

Not to mention a brief layover at BikinginLA world headquarters in Hollywood.

I’m not active on Facebook these days, but you can follow along on his journey there if you want to vicariously take part in the adventure.

And who knows? Maybe we can all talk him into giving a talk once he gets to LA.

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There’s a new world record for the largest human-formed bicycle, beating the effort to promote the Amgen Tour of California at the Rose Bowl earlier this year.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes goes on.

A road raging Cincinnati, Ohio man is being held on a charge of felonious assault for intentionally swerving in front of a bike rider and dooring him from his moving truck, leaving the victim with serious injuries.

F. Lehnerz forwards video of a road raging driver who brake checked a group of bike riders, then got out of his car to scream at them for the crime of not riding their bikes the way he thought they should. Unfortunately, no word on where this took place.

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Local

Bike the Vote LA has endorsed environmentalist and professor Loraine Lundquist in the special election for the San Fernando Valley’s 12th Council District.

Visions of Venice Blvd. Seventy-five people turned out to protest the road diet and bike lanes on the Broadway corridor in Long Beach, arguing that they make the street more dangerous. The bike lanes, not the people. Though they probably do, too.

 

State

San Diego drivers are confused by the new parking protected bike lanes in the downtown area.

No bias here. A San Diego weekly says the city’s mayor and a councilmember effectively told local civic groups to drop dead because they didn’t adopt the groups plans for preserving parking in the Mid City area; instead opting to remove 420 mostly unused curbside parking spaces to install protected bike lanes.

The Bay Area’s BART trains will now include straps to secure bicycles in the car’s bike section, allowing bike riders to ride more safely and comfortably, without having to stand and hold their bikes. Let’s hope LA Metro and Metrolink are paying attention.

Only a third of San Francisco’s fatal hit-and-runs result in charges, while a full 40% of the cases go unsolved, leading to heartbreak and frustration for those left behind. On the other hand, only 8% of LA’s hit-and-runs, fatal or otherwise, ever get solved. Thanks to Robert Leone for the link. 

There’s a special place in hell for whoever stole two adaptive bicycles from a Sacramental special needs boy who suffers from verbal, physical and intellectual disabilities.

 

National

Bicycling examines the futuristic Fuell Fluid-1 ped-assist ebike designed by engineer and motorcycle racer Erik Buell and Formula 1 designer Frédéric Vasseur. The magazine also lists what they consider the best bike buys on Amazon Prime Day. But check with your favorite local bike shop first before you click the buy button.

No one is using Aspen, Colorado’s new $20,000 bike lockers, even though they rent for just $40 a season and have been moved to other locations to draw more interest. For 40 bucks, I’ll take one if they’ll move it to Los Angeles. Or move me to Aspen. 

An older Boulder CO bike rider wants to know what happened to the formerly common bike courtesy of calling out “On your left!” when passing another rider or pedestrian. Good question, although I’ve found “Passing on your left” to be more effective. But whether you use your voice or a bell, some sort of audible warning should be given.

There’s also a special place in hell for whoever stole a 15-year old Idaho BMX champ’s bike, preventing him from competing this year.

Three bike riders were injured riding over rough railroad tracks on a tune-up ride for Iowa’s popular RAGBRAI, at least one after being directed across by a police officer, despite fire trucks apparently responding to earlier injuries.

A New York website says inadequate traffic enforcement is undermining Vision Zero, as killer drivers too often walk with little or no consequences for taking the life of another human being.

How to tell when an intersection is too dangerous. A bike rider in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood was injured when she was hit by a cab less than a block from where another woman was killed in a crash last month.

A Long Island doctor wants to know if anyone conducted an environmental impact report to determine how many people ride bikes before painting a new bike lane in front of the post office. Maybe someone could explain to the good doctor how bicycling could benefit his patients. Or he could just ask this Albuquerque physician. Then again, he could just be a PhD with no patients, or patience.

A group of Philadelphia seminarians will ride 150 miles in five days, crisscrossing the city to promote religious vocations.

Shreveport police are looking for a car that fled the scene after striking a kid on a bicycle, since it apparently didn’t have a driver. Thanks again to F. Lehnerz for the tip.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana residents are outraged over the murder of a 75-year old community leader who founded the city’s African American history museum; she’d been suffocated and stuffed in the trunk of a car. Sadie Roberts-Joseph was known for coordinating bike giveaways through the museum.

Naples FL is installing bike turn boxes to guide riders through a simple L-turn.

 

International

Not only have the new Vancouver, British Columbia bike lanes not led to the feared traffic Armageddon, after ten years they’ve proven to be even more successful than city leaders originally predicted.

There’s not a hole deep enough for someone heartless enough to flee the scene after killing a 10-year old Ontario, Canada girl as she rode her bike.

The UK considers whether to legalize e-scooters, though it would be kind of hard to shove the genie back into the bottle at this point.

A British neurosurgeon says skip the helmet, arguing that bike helmets are too flimsy and ineffective to do any good, and may encourage risky behavior. He also says people look at him like he’s mad when he rides in his cowboy hat and boots. Which is understandable, considering the relative lack of actual cowboys in the UK.

No bias here. A 60-year old Irish woman says she automatically rules out any man who includes a photo of himself wearing Lycra on a bicycle in his online dating profile.

Tragic news from Kolkata — formerly Calcutta — India, where a seven-year old boy was electrocuted when he went to pick up his bicycle after live wires fell on it overnight.

Inspired by the ciclovia of Bogota, Columbia, the mayor of Seoul, Korea is planning to build a network of uninterrupted bike trails in every direction through the densely populated city.

He gets it. A Vietnamese writer says humanity dies when drivers flee the scene, leaving their victims to die on the street without help.

 

Finally…

Bike sharing for people who don’t want to share their bikes. Apparently, a car’s ragtop roof matters more than whether it had a driver.

And it’s not a good idea to spank a mooning cycling fan if you want to stay in the race.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,
 
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